Tips for home: How to help a child with Anxiety

http://childrensdirectory.net/2012/05/childhood-anxiety-how-you-can-help-at-home/

A few highlights (excerpts from the article "Childhood Anxiety & How You Can Help At Home"):

Helping with their Thoughts

1) You can help your child by asking them a series of questions about the reality of their thoughts/beliefs: “What is the worst thing that could happen if….?” “So what if … happened?” Explore with them- “what could you do if (a), (b), or (c) happened?” “How serious or long-lasting would the consequences of (a), (b) or (c) be to your life?”

2) Encourage your child to speak positively to himself about his coping skills. Compose with your child positive statements that he may use in fearful situations that contradict the automatic negative thought he typically has about that situation. For example, instead of: “If I make a mistake on my presentation everyone will laugh at me” say “I am going to do well on my presentation, no one will laugh at me, and even if they did, I will just laugh it off too”.

Helping with their Feelings.

1) Develop Their Emotional Vocabulary – You can expand your child’s emotional vocabulary by describing the situation he is in and naming the feelings he may be experiencing. For example, “It’s Monday morning and you do not want to get ready for school. Maybe you are feeling nervous about your test today.” Accept his feelings when he does tell you how he feels; respond with a simple “hmm” or “you feel __ because ____” and avoid corrective statements like “there is nothing to be afraid of”.

2) Model feelings/reactions of calmness to your child – While you want to acknowledge and recognize your child’s feeling of apprehension one should avoid indirectly reinforcing and justifying the anxiety and the avoidance of the feared situation. Try to remain calm and positive yourself.

Anxiety is a long-standing condition that can continue to affect a child over their lifetime. By informing yourself as a parent, you can help your child develop the skills and strengths to cope with this condition and grow to live a successful life. Secondly, recognizing if or when you and your child may need professional help or counselling to support your at home interventions is another important key. Fear is a limitation; don’t be afraid to ask for help.